GUWAHATI, Feb 17 - Plans are on to raise a botanical garden on the old Guwahati District Central Jail land at Fancy Bazar. Preparation of a new detailed project report for the botanical garden is in the final stage and soon the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) will discuss the entire plan with people�s representatives.
This was stated by GMDA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Moloy Bora while addressing participants at a public hearing organised by the development entity at its Bhangagarh office in Guwahati today.
The GMDA top brass, who included its Chairman Ashok Singhal, Deputy Chairman Mukuta Deka and CEO Bora, were asked by a delegation of the Nagarik Committee of Ward Number 8 (Old Ward No-19) to hold a public meeting on the issues concerning development of the city riverfront, proper utilisation of the old Guwahati Jail land, commissioning of the under-construction water supply schemes, review of the building permission policy taking into consideration all the parameters of water availability, parking space, open space, etc.
The delegation of the Nagarik Committee also underlined the need to formulate policies for conservation of the city hills and wetlands.
The GMDA CEO said development of the city riverfront is now being looked after by the Guwahati Smart City authorities and for details about the riverfront development programmes, people should contact the Smart City authorities.
GMDA Chairman Singhal said soon the Guwahati West Water Supply Scheme would be partially commissioned and it would cover around 1,200 families of west Guwahati within March 2020. Later on 50 per cent of the targeted consumers of the scheme would be covered within the current year. However, he said the other three under-construction water supply schemes of GMDA areas are not dealt with by GMDA and for those schemes the Guwahati Jal Board is the nodal authority.
When the attention of the GMDA officials was drawn to the practice of owners of commercial establishments and other organisations parking their four-wheelers, three-wheelers and two-wheelers in front of their establishments right on the roads, Singhal said GMDA has been taking care of this issue while issuing fresh building permission, but it is facing problems in case of the old building permission. To deal with the owners and tenants of the old buildings, Singhal said the GMDA needs support of the common Guwahatians.
The Central Guwahati Local Committee of CPI-M also made pleas in the hearing for determining the water tariff by consulting the stakeholders, official identification and notification of the city slum areas and construction of two flyovers between Anuradha point and Bamunimaidam Railway Colony areas and between Bharalumukh and KR C Road juncture.
Singhal told the CPI-M representatives that proposals for constructing flyovers on some busy city road junctures have been sent to the State government and those are under consideration of the State government.
The Chandmari Red Cross Road Ambikagiri Udyan Parichalana Samiti also urged the GMDA to maintain the park. Several individuals also took part in the hearing to apprise the GMDA officials of their grievances concerning building permission and forgery involving their patta land.